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There‘s a lot more heaviness in the air. The signs are ominous. Visibility has gone down and suddenly a lot many people are seen wearing pollution masks and talking about fresh air. The basic right has become a luxury. It is not surprising at all. While the months of November- December bring in the festive season, it also adds to its woes.

A recent research suggested that air pollution leads to a decline in cognitive abilities. Warning on the lasting impact of pollution on our health and well-being goes out almost every day now. Key causes range from the notorious crop burning in the north/north-west to the never-ending and ever-increasing vehicular pollution in urban areas.

There are so many reasons for the bad air that engulfs us – but the chief culprit is vehicular pollution. Delhi-NCR has 556 motor vehicles up and running, per one thousand people. That means there’s a private vehicle for every second person in the city![i] No wonder the air quality in the region remains under the “severe” category for several days in a row.

To make matters worse, PM 2.5* known as ‘fine particulates’ was recorded at 264 micrograms against the safe limit of 60 micrograms just 2 days before Diwali![ii]

Such fine particles are also known to trigger or worsen diseases such as asthma, heart attack, bronchitis, and other respiratory problems.

Shuttl, along with the Gurgaon Police authorities, recently distributed over 15,000 masks in Shuttl buses to help curb the impact of deadly air pollution engulfing the citizens of Delhi-NCR.

While solutions are being sought after in ways to minimize the effect of pollution, can we also reduce our car-dependency, and search for alternate options?

Perhaps it is a good time to shift to Shared Mobility…

A way that reduces our carbon footprint, city congestion levels, and all the related pollution is shared mobility.

Opt for smart buses which are road-space and carbon-efficient. Indeed, buses move a large group of people in the most efficient manner. On-demand, smart buses offer safe and reliable commuting and while there were limited options like this before – they are now available for office goers!

In fact, World Resource Institute (WRI), a Delhi based think-tank found that Shuttl produces an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, compared to a public bus, and is 10 times more carbon efficient than a private car.

Shruti, a young professional from Gurgaon, has already made the shift. She prefers a reliable and safe mode of commute over her car which she leaves daily at her home now. By choosing Shuttl, she is happy to do her bit towards a greener environment.

Commuting from Neharpar, Faridabad to Gurugram every day, here is what she has to say: “Shuttl acts as a reliable commuting option and a safe group-based commute for me. I do not have to be exposed to the rains, smog, or dust that I used to face earlier. I don’t need to use my car or worry about parking. I am doing my bit to reduce congestion. I think everyone should try it out.”

Commonly written as PM2.5, it refers to atmospheric particulate matter (PM) with a diameter of less than 2.5 micrometers. Since they are so small and light, there’s an increasing chance of humans inhaling them deep into the lungs.

Today, the incredibly versatile and unbelievably cheap “plastic” is a man’s favorite resource. It is ideal for many applications but is also the leading cause of many environmental issues. Worldwide, nearly 2 million single-use plastic bags are distributed every minute.

Global plastic pollution by the numbers: The facts are overwhelming

100,000 marine animals killed by plastics each year

It takes 100 years for plastic to degrade in the environment

90% of bottled water and 83% of tap water found to contain plastic particles

In the last decade, we produced more plastic than in the whole last century!

Erik Solheim, head of United Nations Environment, believes the war is not against plastic, but against its thoughtless use. Keeping reduction of ‘single-use plastic’ in mind, the focus should be on its smart and safe use.

According to the India Times, India is responsible for an astonishing 60% of the plastic that is dumped in the world’s oceans every year.

However, we are on the road to progress already. Last year, Delhi introduced a ban on single-use plastic like cutlery, bags, cups, straws, etc.

Single-use plastic products

And this year, India is the global host of 2018 World Environment Day, taking place on June 5. With“Beat Plastic Pollution” as this year’s theme, the world, especially India, is coming together to combat single-use plastic pollution.

What can ‘we’ the working professionals do?

We, the working professionals, can also play a vital role in this cause. By reducing our dependency on the single-use-plastic, we can significantly impact the plastic levels in our environment. Here is the list of 3 such mindful choices:Disclaimer: Shuttl is neither a sponsor or nor a partner to any of these services. This article contains a list of environment-conscious brands like Shuttl, which are working towards a common cause – making this world a better place.

1. BYOB: Bring your own bags made of Jute, cloth or paper

Every year the world uses up to 5 trillion plastic bags, that’s nearly 10 million plastic bags every minute! However, alternatives to plastic bags are convenient to use and easily available in the form of eco-friendly material like jute & cloth.

Jute bags

Jute bags have a very low carbon & water footprint, are biodegradable, strong and highly durable.

Green Handle, a startup with a mission to provide eco-friendly solutions to customer and society, offers a great collection of jute bags for the everyday use.

Cloth and other eco-friendly bags

Eco Right makes eco-friendly living fun with their vibrant collection of fabric-based bags.

2. Carry reusable water bottles and cups on the go

We buy 1 million plastic bottles every minute!Yes, you read it correctly. But you know what, it’s actually cooler to carry your own bottles and coffee mugs, with your style.

Did you know more than 500.000.000 straws are used daily, enough to wrap them around the globe almost three times each day? We all can easily avoid using disposable plastic cutlery with these travel-friendly products:

Pappco, is another service that is making the world less dependent on plastic. All their products are made with 100% disposable plant-based raw material.

The list of environment-conscious practices is endless. What’s needed is an intent to keep our planet healthy. Soare you ready to adopt the green good behavior today!

Which single-use plastic are you giving up? Tell us in the comments below.